Monday, 12 November 2007

Eee PC

A small laptop at a low price was released lately which indicates how computer use is changing.
The Eee PC by Asus is about the size of an A4 page folded in half.
It sells for US$400. Generally laptops of this size are much more expensive than regular laptops, but prices have fallen and the Eee PC is the first of a new breed of gadget/serious-tool crossovers which will change the market.
The device weighs 900g and runs for 3.5hrs on its battery. It has a 7" screen, WiFi, a USB port, and a webcam (on some models).
There are two reasons it's so cheap: it has no hard drive or CD/DVD drive, and it doesn't include Windows. Data is stored on 4Gb internal memory and the laptop runs a version of Linux. There are options for Windows XP, and more memory (plus you can add your own card), though both of these choices add significantly to the price; also, the 15-second boot-up time would triple under Windows.
The Eee PC is an ideal second computer. There's no way you could fit all your stuff on 4Gb, or live without a DVD drive, or always work with 7" of screen real estate, but if you've ever lugged a 15" laptop around it's tempting to consider a lite option.
These are selling like hot cakes right now. While Asus pitches them at kids and grandparents, it's the nerds who are adopting them early.

For a video walkthrough, YouTube has a demo here.


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